Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-21-2024

Summer is here and the trout are feeding on adults, nymphs and emergers. Mosquitoes are out and about on the streams and lakes of the Eastern Sierra. Sunny days, windy days, overcast days, hot days and cool days have been what fly fishers are finding on any given day. Run off is on the downhill side and is most evident on the freestone creeks draining the eastern escarpment of the Sierra. Numerous waters are producing trout that are feeding on hatching mayflies, midges, and stoneflies. Now is the time to be out fly fishing the waters of the Eastern Sierra.

High altitude lakes like North Lake are offering fly fishers the opportunity to fly fish for wild rainbow, brown and brook trout.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Flows are decreasing as runoff is subsiding. Trout are feeding on the surface on blue wing olive mayflies and pale morning duns mayflies. When fishing tiny dry flies that are hard to see on the water fish with a dry and dry. Use a size 16 Adams parachute that the fly fisher can see and use as an indicator fly. Tie a three foot tippet of 5X or 6X monofilament to the bend of the Adams parachute and a size 20 blue wing olive parachute on the other end of the tippet. The big fly allows the fly fisher to see it on the water and then find the little fly. If you can’t find the little fly set the hook on any rise in a three foot circle around the Adams parachute. Size 16 pale morning dun parachutes, size 16 pale morning dun sparkle duns, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes and size 20 blue wing olive sparkle duns are the dry flies that are fooling the wild brown and rainbow trout of Hot Creek.

Nymphing under an indicator with a size one split shot, a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and an indicator is producing trout in the faster sections of Hot Creek Canyon..

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Nymphing with an indicator or a dry and dropper is producing trout in the canyon section as the water levels subside. In the faster sections of the canyon the increased weight need to drift the nymph on the bottom is too much for the dry fly to float. In these areas use an indicator three feet above the nymph. In the slower sections where you do not need additional weight us a dry fly like a stimulator or mini Chernobyl ant. Nymphing with a size 18 olive quilldigon, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymph, size 16 Frenchie, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear and size 16 Mercer’s poxy back pale morning dun is fooling the trout during the mid-morning to early afternoon hatch.

The north shore of McGee Bay is at full pool and the road around the lake is flooded in spots making it impossible to access with a vehicle.

Crowley Lake

North Landing:

The North Landing road continues to be closed. A tentative opening date is set for after the fourth of July. Hopefully it will be open on the 5th of July. There are section of the road that are still undriveable.  For now there is shore access at Layton Springs, South Landing and Crooked Creek. Float tubers in the Hilton Bays are producing trout on midges fished three inches to four feet off the substrate. Browns, rainbows and cutthroats are taking tiger midges, zebra midges, blood midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s. The flotilla of boats have been concentrated in Hilton Bay and on the south side of McGee Bay.

Jimmy Steinmetz from Las Vegas took a beginners class from Sierra Bright Dot and was able to fool this wild brown trout on a fly.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Flows on the upper Owens River have subsided and are at a great level to fly fish with nymphs and dries. Midges are hatching early morning followed by blue wing olive mayflies. After lunch time look for the pale morning duns to start hatching. Fly fishers need to move around to find concentrations of the hatching pale morning duns. Nymphing with an indicator or a Euro rig is producing five inch to 20 inch browns and rainbows. The trout are taking bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs in size 18, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears in size 16, olive quilldigons in size 18, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 16 hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and size 12 stoner nymphs. Thoroughly covering the water with casts is the way to find the trout that are willing to take your fly. For dry flies fish with size 16 pale morning dun parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 16 brown elk hair caddis. Particularly on the overcast days be sure to have bug repellant as the mosquitoes are thick.

Jamie Metzger from Woodland Hills used his inflatable kayak to ply the waters of North Lake with a dry and dropper rig to fool wild rainbow and brown trout.

Bishop Creek Canyon

North Lake:

Using motorless water craft like a float tube, kayak, inflatable kayak or Stealth Craft drift boats allows fly fishers total access to the lake. Fly fishers willing to walk into the inlet will find lots of fly fishing opportunities for wild brown and rainbow trout hanging out in the current waiting for food to drift to them. Working the vegetation lined banks with a dry and dropper is fooling trout. Use a size 14 Adams parachute on top and fish with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph on three feet of 5X fluorocarbon tippet. Other fly patterns that are working to fool the wild trout are size 14 olive stimulators, size 12 orange stimulators, size 14 elk hair caddis, tiger midges, zebra midges and blood midges in size 20 and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears in size 16. Trolling or striping a size 12 olive wooly bugger on a full sinking line is fooling the stocked rainbows. Bring the bug repellant as the mosquitoes are thick on the lake.

Early mornings and late evening are the best times to be on Bishop Creek Canal as the day time temperatures are too hot to be comfortable.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

If you can put up with the mosquitoes fishing the caddis ovipositing in the late evening is offering good fly fishing for eight to 12 inch wild brown trout. Fish with size 16 peacock elk hair caddis and olive elk hair caddis. Early in the morning fish with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, stoner nymphs, copper John’s and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-14-2024

The heat and mosquitoes say it’s summer time. Upper elevation waters are warm during the days. Snow runoff is swelling waters, but they’re still fishable. Hatching insects are fueling the trout’s feeding frenzy. The trout are feeding on midges, mayflies, caddis flies and stoneflies on the surface and on the substrate of streams and lakes. With the warm weather backcountry waters are becoming available to hikers and fly fishers. Carp, bluegill and bass are hitting top water flies as well as nymphs and streamer. Now is the time to visit the Eastern Sierra for great fly fishing. Sierra Bright Dot Guides are available to take you fly fishing on the waters of the Eastern Sierra.

Snow runoff is increasing the flows of freestone streams in the Eastern Sierra to their highest levels of the season like Rock Creek.

Owens River Gorge

Middle Gorge Power Plant:

With the warm weather, an increase in rattlesnake activity and the growth of stinging nettles it’s time to leave the Owens River Gorge alone tell fall.

It’s way too hot to walk in and out of the Owens River Gorge during the summer months.

East Walker River

Below Bridgeport Reservoir:

Mayfly and caddis hatches continue to offer good dry fly opportunities for fly fishers. On the surface fish with Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes, elk hair caddis, EC caddis and X-caddis. Nymphing is producing fish every day when Euro nymphing or fishing under an indicator. Nymphing is the most productive method of fishing the river right now. On the Euro rig fish with stoner nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, olive burlap caddis, cream caddis and Duracell jigs. On the right days trophy trout can be enticed with streamers. Use patterns that resemble Sacramento  perch, trout or sculpins. Olive matukas, olive sculpins and balanced leeches are fooling trout.

Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig is producing nice size rainbow trout on the East Walker River.

San Joaquin River

Reds Meadow to  Agnew Meadow:

No report on the opening of the San Joaquin River yet as I’m busy guiding on Hot Creek, the upper Owens River and Bishop Creek Canal.

Wild brown trout are feeding on the emerging blue wing olive nymphs in Hot Creek Canyon.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Runoff is still effecting the flows on the creek. This is not slowing down the mayflies, stoneflies and caddis that are hatching. The trout are coming to the surface to feed on blue wing olives, pale morning duns and caddis. Best dry flies have been size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 Adams parachutes, size 20 olive sparkle duns, size 16 PMD parachutes, size 16 PMD sparkle duns and size 20 gray elk hair caddis. Nymphing continues to be productive during the snow runoff with size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears nymphs, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons.

Mid-day nymphing is producing trout when fishing with an olive quilldigon under an indicator..

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Nymphing in the faster water sections of Hot Creek Canyon is producing wild trout from 8 to 16 inches. Nymphing with an indicator three feet above the nymph with a size 1 split shot 12 inches above the fly is the rig that is producing trout. Fish with olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, stoner nymphs and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs. The hatch starts by 9:00 A.M. and is over by early afternoon. On the surface fish with PMD parachutes, little yellow stones and Adams parachutes.

McGee Bay on Crowley Lake is as full as it gets and is a long walk from HWY 395 to fish from shore.

Crowley Lake

North Landing:

North Landing Road continues to be close as roads around the lake in this area are flooded. The flotilla of boats is spread out in the McGee – Hilton Bay areas of the lake. The fish are in 20 feet or less of water and taking tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s. If you’re not getting hits than change your flies and or change the distance off the bottom of the lake you’re suspending your nymph. Float tubers are working big and little Hilton Bay. There is float tube opportunities in the Crooked Creek arm of the lake for fly fishers without a boat.

Todd Eliassen from Santa Barbra showing off a brown trout that took a size 18 olive quilldigon on a Euro rig.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

An increase in flows makes the fly fishing in the river improve. With runoff the margins of the banks are flooded making walking the edges of the river wet and mucky. Midges and mayflies are hatching and the trout are feeding on them. There are some larger brown trout taking nymphs bounced of the substrate. Euro nymphing is the most productive method of fly fishing the river right now. The trout are taking stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, Frenchie’s, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and olive quilldigons. The browns are running from six inches to 20 inches. There are a few juvenile rainbows feeding on the nymphs. Griffiths gnats, PMD parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes and Adams parachutes are producing trout on the surface.

Flows in Bishop Creek Canal are up and muddy, but the trout are still taking nymphs.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

With day time temperature pushing towards the 100 degree mark fishing on the canal is hot middle of the day. Best fly fishing has been early in the morning or late in the day. The evening caddis hatch is fun and producing good numbers of wild brown trout. Skittering a size 16 peacock elk hair caddis, olive elk hair caddis and brown elk hair caddis in the evening is a great way to end a hot day in Bishop. Be sure to use lots of insect repellent as the mosquitoes are thick in the evening.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 06-07-2024

Well we traded in the wind and now we are getting the heat. This should warm up the upper elevations and get the last of the snow melting. This should be the beginning of the end of the snow runoff. What’s left to melt off is above the 9,000 foot elevation. When this snow is gone the backcountry waters will be accessible. For those able to do multi day back packs now is the time to explore the backcountry lakes that hold trophy golden trout. June has the greatest number of hatching aquatic insects. For the dry fly purist now is the time to be on the water. Mayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies are the insects the trout are feeding on. Now is warmwater fly fishing time in the Owens Valley as bass, bluegill and carp are getting active and taking flies. Have you booked your June fly fishing trip with Sierra Bright Dot yet?

June is the month with the most hatching aquatic insects like this mayfly nymph.

Owens River Gorge

Middle Gorge Power Plant:

It’s June and the stands of stinging nettles, high day time temperatures and the increased rattle snake activity is enough to keep me out of the gorge till Fall. Dry and dropper rig is the way to fly fish in the gorge for the hearty angler willing to make the trek into the gorge this time of the year. For the dry fly in the dry dropper rig use a size 14 or 16 elk hair caddis or Adams Parachute, or a size 14 stimulator. I run the nymphs on three feet of  4X or 5X fluorocarbon tippet. These fish are feeding opportunistically and will take a number of nymphs. I like size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 14 copper John’s.

Tenkara Tanuki owner Luong Tam hooked up to a wild brown trout in the Owens River Gorge.

East Walker River

Below Bridgeport Reservoir:

Fly fishing continues to be excellent as a dry fly hatch of blue wing olive mayflies and caddis flies have the trout feeding on the surface. For the dry fly use size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, olive sparkle duns, Adams parachutes, brown elk hair caddis, X-caddis and CDC caddis. Nymphing with an indicator or a Euro rig is producing lots of rainbows and browns on size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 16 soft hackle gold ribbed hare’s ear, size 18 tiger midges and zebra midges. The East Walker river is a great place to throw streamers. Size 2 ,6 and 10 olive matukas, olive or brown wooly buggers, olive sculpins, balanced leeches and olive stump busters.

Brian Chastain with a rainbow trout he fooled with a pheasant tail nymph fished under an indicator on the miracle mile section of the East Walker River.

San Joaquin River

Reds Meadow to  Agnew Meadow:

The road to the San Joaquin River is Scheduled to open this Friday June 7th, 2024. Access to the San Joaquin River will be Friday through Sunday. It will be shut down during the week so crews can rebuild the road. There will be extended hours on holiday weekends.

The San Joaquin River is a classic opportunistic fly fishing water that lends its self well to a dry and dropper rig.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Dry fly fishing is beginning on Hot Creek. The question is going to be if this heat wave moving through California is enough to cause the creek to become high and dirty slowing down the dry fly bite. If the dry fly bite holds out fly fish with size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, olive sparkle duns, Adams parachutes, size 20 gray elk hair caddis and gray X-caddis. Nymph with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 16 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 tiger midges and zebra midges.

Waterflows in Hot Creek are unstable as runoff from Mammoth Creek is changing the water clarity and water flows daily.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

This is good Euro nymphing and indicator nymphing water before and after the hatches. Besides the blue wing olive and caddis hatch look for the pale morning duns and the little yellow stoneflies. These are the two biggest aquatic insects that hatch on the creek. Use size 16 pale morning dun parachutes, pale morning dun sparkle nymphs and Lawsons little yellow stone fly. For nymphing use bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, copper John’s and stoner nymphs.

The flotilla of Crowley Lake fly fishing boats can be found in Big Hilton Bay where the trout are concentrated and feeding on midges.

Crowley Lake

North Landing:

Weather is warming up and so is the fly fishing. The fish are in 20 feet of water in Hilton Bay and in the north arm of the lake. The weed beds are starting to develop and fly fishers are working the mud beds around the weed beds. Suspending your midges off the bottom from three inches to 12 inches in the mornings is where the trout are feeding on the midge pupae as they come out of the mud. Later in the morning raise your midges of the bottom as the pupae work their way up the water column towards the surface to hatch. The standard midge patterns are working. Use size 16 or 18 tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino Barron’s. Shore access is still limited as roads around the lake remain flooded.

Juvenil rainbow trout are feeding on nymphs and adults of mayflies, midges and caddis flies.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Juvenil brown trout and rainbow trout are offering the fly fishers lots of action on dries and nymphs. Pale morning duns, blue wing olives and caddis are hatching and the trout are feeding on the nymphs and the adults. For the dry flies fish with size 16 brown elk hair caddis , size 16 Adams parachutes, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 18 olive sparkle duns. For the nymphs use size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 12 stoner nymphs and size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs.

Hayden Grant learning to fish a nymph under an indicator in Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

If you can put up with the heat during the day than Bishop Creek Canal is worth fly fishing. Otherwise try fishing in the early morning and late evening when the temperatures outside are comfortable for people. Waiting for the sun to go behind the Sierra mountains is when you want to fish a size 16 peacock body elk hair caddis. The brown trout are feeding on the ovipositing caddis as they return to the canal to lay their eggs. The fishing is good from the time the sun goes behind the Sierra mountains for an hour or two. Cast the elk hair caddis across and upstream. Let it drift naturally until the fly is dragged across the stream. Though you may get a hit during the drag free portion of the drift, most of the hits will come when the fly drags across the current. If you do not get a hit slowly strip the caddis up stream. If the winds up and causes the fly to be pulled of the water and then slapped back on the water let the fly dead drift down stream for a foot or so. When the hits come they are savage as the trout know the insects do not stay on the water for long.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-31-2024

I’m hoping that after a couple weeks of heavy winds almost every day the wind is finally settling down. We always have wind in the Eastern Sierra and fly fishers need to learn how to cast in the wind. Trout fishing is going good with most waters fly fishing good. Hatches of mayflies, midges and caddis are keeping the trout feeding. Spring spawning is just about over in most waters for rainbows and cutthroats. Brown trout and brook trout will be spawning this Fall. Blue gill and bass fishing is just starting to get going. Been seeing some nice bass being caught in the local ponds, canals and the lower Owens River. June is a great month to be fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra and Sierra Bright Dot is ready to guide you on one of the Eastern Sierra Fly Fishing waters.

As the weather warms up it time to wet wade in Eastern Sierra waters like the upper Owens River.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows are high and this is the last report for the lower Owens River until the flows recede or the caddis hatch bring trout to the surface during the summer months.

Lower Owens River flows are up to 575 CFS which is too high to safely wade and fly fish the spots that are only accessible by wading.

Owens River Gorge

Middle Gorge Power Plant:

Dry and dropper fly fishing continues to produce wild brown trout in the Owens River Gorge. Most fly fishers quit fishing here in the summer months due to the heat, rattlesnake activity and big stands of stinging nettles along the riparian zone. For the dry fly elk hair caddis and Adams parachutes are producing trout on the surface. Most of the trout are taking nymphs under the dry fly like size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. Perdigons work really well in the gorge.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing guide Richard Lancaster fishing a tenkara rod in the Owens River Gorge with Tenkara Tanuki owner Luong Tam.

East Walker River

Below Bridgeport Reservoir:

Perfect conditions for nymphing and dry fly fishing will be found by fly fishers exploring the waters of the East Walker River on the California side. Nymphing with an indicator rig or a Euro rig with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, tiger midges, zebra midges, cream caddis nymphs and peeking caddis is producing rainbow and brown trout to 18 inches. There is a good mid-morning hatch of caddis and blue wing olive mayflies which the trout have been coming to the surface to feed on. Dry fly anglers fishing with elk hair caddis, X-caddis, blue wing olive parachutes and Adams parachutes are enjoying rare dry fly action on the East Walker River.

Shannon Chastain with a rainbow trout she fooled with a pheasant tail nymph fished under an indicator on the miracle mile section of the East Walker River.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

With the warmer weather the flows are increasing and are dirty from the runoff entering the creek from Mammoth Creek. On the right days you can catch the trout on a dry fly, but nymphing continues to be the most productive method of fly fishing Hot Creek. Euro nymphing and indicator nymphing are producing the trout. With the increased flows a split shot is needed to get the nymphs bouncing on the substrate. This addition in weight is causing the dry fly in a dry dropper rig to be pulled off the surface and sinking. Tiger midges, zebra midges, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs are producing trout in the eight to 14 inch size range.

Nymphing with an indicator in Hot Creek Canyon and a bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph is a productive method that is producing eight to 14 inch wild browns and rainbow trout.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

As the month of May comes to an end I hope so does the no-see-ums. They are one insect that eats me up. With the increased flows from spring runoff a dry and dropper rig is no longer effective. A Euro rig or an indicator rig is what is working for nymphing. Set the indicator at three feet above the bottom fly and adjust it for the deeper holes if you need to. A size one split shot has been enough weight to keep the nymphs bouncing on the substrate. It’s about time for the pale morning duns and the little yellow stones to start hatching. These two insects are the biggest insects that hatch in Hot Creek. I fish both of these pattens in size 14 and 16, much bigger than my normal size 18 to 22 fly patterns. For flies fish with a stoner nymph or cooper John in size 14 and a bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear ins size 14 or 16.

Hilton Bay is getting a lot boats and float tubers working midges in the bay at 20 feet over the mud beds.

Crowley Lake

North Landing:

Access is still restricted due to the high lake levels. Alligator Point and Crooked Creek arm are the only two shore access points other than going through the gate at South Marina. Float tubers, Kayakers and boats are finding fish all over the lake. Best fishing has been in waters under 20 feet deep. The key to success in fly fishing Crowley Lake is suspending your midge imitations off the substrate. In the mornings working your flies three to six inches of the bottom will produce trout. Once the sun starts to climb up and light up the lake the midges start migrating up the water column. This is when fly fishers need to adjust their flies depth off the substrate. Some days the trout are feeding as much as four to five feet off the substrate of the lake. As the fish feed higher in water column the amount of penetrating light changes the color of the nymphs. Changing midge colors latter in the morning is another way to improve the fly fishers catch rate. To imitate the midges use tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges, albino Barron’s and blood midges in size 16 and 18. Jansen’s damsel fly nymph in a size 10 and callibaetis nymphs in size 14 are two fly patterns that produce trout when the trout are not feeding on the midges.  

The last cutthroat of the 2024 season was caught on a beginners guide trip on the upper Owens River over Memorial day weekend.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

It was a great cutthroat season on the upper Owens River. The run is pretty much over for the year. This is a very short run starting in early May and ending by Memorial day or 1st of June. The best time to fly fish for this run is from the May 10th to May 20th. This is when the fish are fresh in the river coming up from the lake and are just starting to spawn. Now is the time to consider a trip up to the upper Owens River for next years cutthroat spawning run. Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Guide Service is taking bookings for next year. There is a good population of eight to 12 inch juvenile brown and rainbow trout willing to take insect imitations. On the surface fish dry flies like elk hair caddis, Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes and pale morning dun parachutes in size 16.  For nymphing use size 14 or 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 tiger midges and zebra midges to catch the juvenile trout. On an indicator rig use a size one split shot and have the indicator about six feet above the fly which is about 1 ½ to 2 times the average depth of water.

The field next to Bishop Creek Canal is a great place to teach fly casting to beginners like Hayden Grant before he learned how to fish a nymph under an indicator.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

The Owens Valley is warming up quick. Day time temperatures are already into the 90’s. This is not effecting the trout as the water temperatures have been hovering around a perfect trout temperature of 55 degrees. Not seeing a lot of surface feeding trout yet. The trout are taking nymphs like tiger midges, zebra midges, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, green/gold wire Prince nymphs and  stoner nymphs. Fish these flies on the sandy bottom runs of the creek between the weed beds.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-24-2024

Spring winds and rains continue to hamper fly fishers pursuing trout in the Eastern Sierra. June is the month with the greatest number of hatching aquatic insects and is a great time to be on the water fly fishing with  dry flies As May comes to a conclusion mayflies, caddis flies and midges are hatching and the trout are feeding on them. Runoff has started in some waters, but it is not hampering fly fishing yet!  Now is the time to visit the Eastern Sierra to nymph or dry fly the streams and lakes.

The cutthroats run in the upper Owens River is coming to an end, but there are a few trout still taking nymphs.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows of 575 CFS continue to keep fly fishers off the river. A dry fly fished on the surface might yield a fish or two if your fishing the spots accessible from the banks of the lower Owens River. Wading is unsafe at these flows.

Lower Owens River flows are up to 575 CFS which is too high to safely wade and fly fish the spots that are only accessible by wading.

Owens River Gorge

Middle Gorge Power Plant:

Wild browns from eight to 12 inches are feeding on nymphs and dries. This is a classic place to fish a dry and dropper rig. Adams parachutes, elk hair caddis and stimulators in sizes 14 and 16 are great dry flies to fish above the nymph These flies are highly visible and high floating. For the nymphs use size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and size 16 copper Johns. Rattle snakes are active this time of the year in the gorge and fly fishers should be aware of where they step or put their hands. Stinging nettles are bushing out and fly fishers need to pay attention where their arms and hands are when casting and controlling line.

Kirsten Albino from Round Mountain, NV showing off an Owens River Gorge brown trout.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Dirty rising waters marks the influence of Mammoth Creek on Hot Creek as runoff has started. Fishing has been tough as there are few insects hatching and the ever present wind is blowing the hatching insects off the surface before the trout can feed on them. Nymphing is producing a few fish, but not like normal. With the heavier flows an indicator is the best way to present a nymph to the trout. The amount of weight needed to keep the nymph bouncing on the substrate is greater than a dry fly can float. Size 20 and 22 tiger midges and zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 olive quilldigons, size 12 olive scuds and size 12 olive burlap caddis are fooling the trout that are feeding on nymphs.

George Alvbno from Telluride, CO. fishing a size 14 orange stimulator and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph on a dry and dropper rig in Hot Creek Canyon.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

The no-see-ums on Hot Creek in May eat me up. I’ve got lots of bites around the hair line on my head. The trout in the canyon tend to take flies more reactively than the trout in the interpretive site which have more time to scrutinize the flies. A dry and dropper is working in the canyon depending on the flows created by the snow runoff. It depends on the amount of weight needed to keep your fly bouncing on the substrate. If the weight is more than the floatability of the dry fly then the fly fisher will need to use an indicator instead of a dry fly. Blue wing olives and gray caddis are the insects hatching that the trout are feeding on. For the nymphs fish with size 18 olive quilldigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 18 Frenchie’s, size 18 or 20 tiger and zebra midges, size 20 gray La Fontaine’s caddis emergers, size 12 olive scuds and size 12 olive burlap caddis. For the dry flies fish with size 20 Adams parachutes, size 20 blue wing olive parachutes, size 20 olive sparkle duns, size 20 gray elk hair caddis, size 20 gray partridge spent caddis and size 20 gray X-caddis. For the dry fly in the dry and dropper use a high visible high floating fly pattern like stimulators, mini Chernobyl ants and elk hair caddis in size 10 to 14.

Float tuber are flyfishing the Crooked Creek arm of the lake which is one of the few places fly fishers can access the lake without a boat.

Crowley Lake

North Landing:

Access to the north shore of McGee bay and the west side of the Owens River arm of the lake are closed due to the lake side roads being flooded and inaccessible to vehicles. For fly fishers looking to float tube the lake you can get access to the lake on the Crooked Creek arm of the lake. The lake is fishing well for boat fly fishers midging the lake in 10 to 20 feet of water. Change the depth above the bottom and the fly patterns until you find the combination that works. Standard midges patterns like tiger midges, zebra midges, gray midges and albino midges are producing trout for the fly fishers nymphing the lake from a boat.

Rusty Echeverria from the college Southern California Fly Fishers club showing the results of what he learned about fly fishing for trophy trout from Sierra Bright Dot in the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

As we approach Memorial weekend the cutthroat run is coming to an end. The cutthroat run is very short and concentrated not lasting more than four weeks. The best fly fishing is from about the 10th to 20th of May. There are few fresh cutthroats in the system for fly fishers to catch. There are lots of down streamer cutthroats in the river right now that are pretty beat up. There are lots of cutthroats on redds that etiquette says fly fishers should not try to catch as these spawning fish represent the future trout populations for a self-sustaining population of wild cutthroat trout. To catch the few remaining fresh cutthroat that are resting and feeding in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks fish with size 12 cooper Johns, stoner nymphs, green/gold Prince nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, squirmy wormies, San Juan worms and mop flies. There is a good nymph and dry fly bite going on for the size eight to 12 inch juvenile rainbows and browns. Indicator nymphing with size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 cream caddis nymphs size 12 olive burlap caddis and size 18 tiger midges. For the dry flies fish with size 16 Adams parachutes, size 16 elk hair caddis and size 18 blue wing olive parachutes.

Chuck Parsons from Long Beach being reintroduced to fly fishing after a 25 year hiatus on Bishop Creek Canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Days on the creek have been warm and windy. The trout are feeding on nymphs under an indicator or with a Euro nymphing rig. The weed beds are growing and drifting the nymphs on the sand between the weed beds is where you will find the trout feeding. The trout are taking size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 14 tan scuds, size 18 tiger and zebra midges and size 12 stoner nymphs.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-17-2024

It continues to be spring time in the Eastern Sierra. On Monday it was sunny and warm in the morning in the Owens Valley. Monday afternoon on the upper Owens River saw a spring storm role in with rain. In between the spring wind and rain storms the weather has been great. The streams are warming up which has the insects getting active. The trout are responding to the increase in insect activity and are feeding on the nymphs, emerging insects and the adults. There is just something fun about seeing a trout ascend from the depths of the river to engulf an insect off the surface of the stream. When it is the fly fishers dry fly its even better. Mayflies, caddis and midges are the insects hatching that the trout are feeding on

The cutthroats are in the river and if you target the fish resting and feeding in the deep holes and deep pools you will find a cutthroat willing to take your fly..

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows are fluctuating around 575 CFS which is too high to safely wade. You can nymph at these flows from the banks, but it’s just not fun to fish with the amount of weight needed to get the nymphs bouncing on the substrate. Once the caddis hatch gets into full swing you can catch trout on the surface with dry flies.

Lower Owens River flows are up to 575 CFS which is too high to safely wade and fly fish the spots that are only accessible by wading.

Owens River Gorge

Middle Gorge Power Plant:

When the wind’s not howling the gorge has been fun to fish. With air temperatures in the 80’s the hike out of the gorge is hot. Dry and dropper rig is the preferred method of fly fishing in the gorge. A size 16 Adams parachute with a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph or size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ear tied to the bend of the dry fly on a three foot tippet of 5X fluorocarbon is the setup to use in the gorge. It’s warming up and it’s time to keep an eye out for rattle snakes. The stinging nettles are quickly bushing out. It will soon be time to leave the gorge alone tell fall.

The walk into to the Owens River gorge is fine, but it’s the hike out with the warm air temperatures that makes fly fishing the gorge tough.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Hatches of blue wing olive mayflies have been sporadic with nymphing being the most productive method of catching trout in the creek. Most productive method of nymphing in the creek is with a dry and dropper rig. A high floating visible dry fly is needed for the dry fly. Use stimulators, Adams parachutes and mini Chernobyl ants. For the nymphs bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Frenchie’s, tiger midges and zebra midges are fooling the wild trout of Hot Creek. Hatches of blue wing olives have been sporadic, but if you’re there on the right day a size 20 blue wing olive parachute or Adams parachute will fool the surface feeding wild trout

The road to North Landing on Crowley Lake is closed due to flooded roads around the lake.

Crowley Lake

North Landing:

Access to the north shore of McGee Bay and the North Landing area is closed due to the high levels of the lake. Roads in this area are flooded and inaccessible by vehicle. Until the lake levels subside fly fishing on Crowley Lake is restricted to boat access or shore access from South Landing Marina.

It's nice when you can find a section of Hot Creek to fish all by yourself.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Nymphing is the way to be successful in the canyon right now. A mini Chernobyl ant and a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph is a productive setup for fishing the canyon section. Midges and blue wing olive mayfly nymphs are what the trout are feeding on. For the midge nymphs use tiger midges and zebra midges. For the blue wing olive mayfly nymphs use the bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, Frenchie’s, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and olive quilldigons. Three feet from the dry fly to the nymph is the perfect Hot Creek distance from the indicator, the dry fly, to the nymph.

Sierra Bright Dot guide Richard Lancaster walking the banks of the upper Owens River looking for cutthroat trout as an afternoon rainstorm rolls in.

.Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Cutthroats continue to offer the fly fisher the opportunity to catch a trophy trout. The cutthroat are getting beat up from spawning and from fighting fly fishers. The run should last another week give or take. Protecting  the future cutthroat population is dependent on the cutthroats ability to spawn. As fly fishers we need to ignore fish spawning on redds. A redd is the spawning nest of the trout. You can identify these redds by the freshly cleaned out gravels and the fact that trout are finning on these nests. Cutthroats in deep holes and deep runs are taking size 12 stoner nymphs, size 12 copper Johns, size 12 green/gold Prince nymphs, size 12 gold ribbed hare’s ears variations, size 14 egg patterns, size 12 San Juan worms, size 12 squirmy worms and size 10 mop flies. There are a number of eight to 12 inch wild brown trout and rainbow trout willing to take nymphs and dries. For the nymphs size 18 tiger midges, size 18 zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph and size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears. For dry flies use size 16 elk hair caddis, size 18 blue wing olive parachutes and size 16 Adams parachutes. Nymph under an indicator six feet above the bottom fly and use a size one split shot 12 inches above the nymph to get the nymph bouncing on the substrate.

Flows in Bishop Creek Canal are up and the trout are feeding on stoner nymphs, tan scuds, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and tiger midges.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Flows have increased and the trout are feeding on nymphs. Olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges, zebra midges, tan scuds and stoner nymphs are fooling the wild brown trout. Algae and weed beds are inhibiting the drift of the nymphs on the substrate. Fish the nymphs in the sandy bottom in between the weed beds.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-10-2024

Spring time in the Eastern Sierra is plagued with winds. This last week has seen lots of sunny days with heavy winds which makes it hard to fly fish. Successful fly fishers in the Eastern Sierra know how to cast in the wind. It’s an everyday occurrence here in the Eastern Sierra. Mornings are quite often wind free and the time that fly fishers should be on the water fly fishing. With the warmer weather there is an increase in insect activity which means there is an increase in trout feeding activity. While there is some dry fly activity to be found nymphing is the most productive method of fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra right now. The trout are feeding on mayflies, midges and caddis flies.

It's time to fly fish the upper Owens River as the trophy cutthroat trout have arrived in the river.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

With flows at 525 CFS fly fishing on the lower Owens River is on hold until flows decrease to below 300 CFS.

Lower Owens River flows are up to 525 CFS which is too high to safely wade and fly fish the spots that are only accessible by wading.

Owens River Gorge

Middle Gorge Power Plant:

Rattle snakes and stinging nettles makes this a tough place to fly fish from June to September. This is a great dry and dropper water to fly fish. The flushing flows have opened up pools and riffles to fly fishers. For dry flies fish with size 18 blue wing olive parachutes, size 16 Adams parachutes, size 10 mini Chernobyl ants and size 14 stimulators. For dropper flies use size 16 bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges and zebra midges.

Tekara Tunki owner Luong Tam tenkara fly fishing the upper Owens River Gorge Power Plant for wild browns.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

There are not many trout feeding on the surface of the creek. Nymphing is the successful method of fly fishing the creek. Using a dry and a dropper is a good way to nymph fish the creek without spooking the trout with the splashing of an indicator. For the dry fly fish with a size 16 Adams parachute, size 10 Chernobyl ants and size 12 stimulator. For nymphs use size 18 olive quildigons, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph, size 16 Frenchie’s, size 18 tiger midge and size 18 zebra midges

A wild brown trout jumping out of Hot Creek in the Canyon after taking a size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymph.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

Nymphing with a dry and dropper has been excellent in the canyon section of Hot Creek. The trout are feeding on blue wing olive nymphs that are active on the substrate. Any blue wing olive nymph in size 16 or 18 will work. I like to fish with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, Frenchie’s and hot spot pheasant tail nymphs. Other nymphs that produce in Hot Creek in the spring are olive burlap caddis, olive scuds, tiger midges and zebra midges. For the dry fly in the dry and dropper rig on Hot Creek use size 16 Adams parachutes, size 10 Chernobyl ants, size 12 or 14 stimulators and size 14 elk hair caddis. Best time to fish the creek is from 9:30 to 2:00 P.M.

Sam Stamy from San Diego with an upper Owens River cutthroat that took a nymph.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The wind has made it hard to fish the upper Owens River and get a drag free drift especially with the Euro rig. The trophy cutthroat trout are in the upper Owens River above Benton Crossing Bridge. These trout are pairing up in preparation for spawning These fish are the future population for the Crowley Lake upper Owens River systems. Proper fly fishing etiquette states that fly fishers should not fish for actively spawning trout.  Actively spawning trout can be identified by the female turning sideways to move the gravel to form a redd. Nymphing with size 12 stoner nymphs, copper Johns, green/gold Prince nymphs and gold ribbed hare’s ears variations in the deep holes, deep runs and cut banks is producing the migrating cutthroats. There are lots of juvenile rainbows and browns that are feeding on both dries and nymphs. The flies that these juveniles are feeding on are elk hair caddis, Adams parachutes, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, tiger midges and zebra midges.

Rainbow trout are stocked in Bishop Creek Canal and offer fly fishers the opportunity to catch trout in the canal.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

With no vegetation like tulles or willows to block the wind fly fishers are finding the canal hard to fish in the wind. Nymphing continues to be the productive method of fly fishing the canal when the wind is not blowing. Euro nymphing is a great way to fish on the canal. The productive fly patterns have been tan scuds, tiger midges, zebra midges, olive quilldigons and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 05-03-2024

Days are warming up as spring is moving towards summer. Wind is the nemesis of fly fishers and spring in the Eastern Sierra is full of wind. Mornings are the time to be on the waters of the Eastern Sierra as the wind comes up every afternoon. An increase in insect activity is causing an increase in trout feeding. Nymphs continue to be the most successful way for fly fishers to catch trout. Dry fly activity has been sporadic, but will increase as spring approaches summer. Midges, mayflies and caddis are the insects the trout are feeding on.

Nineteen six to 12 year old’s attended the 13th annual Kid’s Fish Camp at Bishop Park on Opening weekend.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Flows have increased to 525 CFS and are anticipated to increase to over 600 CFS. So for now no fly fishing on the lower Owens River until the flows decrease to under 300 CFS. I’m hoping it will drop in mid-summer, but am anticipating it dropping in October.

Knowing that the river was going up from the 175 CFS I got one last afternoon of Euro nymphing on the wild trout section of the lower Owens River.

Owens River Gorge

Upper Gorge Power Plant:

With the lower Owens River flows above safe wading it’s time to turn to the Owens River Gorge. I will fish the gorge through May. By June the walk out of the gorge is too hot, the stinging nettles are in full growth and there are rattle snakes that need to be avoided. The gorge is a tail water fishery that fishes opportunistically. A dry and dropper is the method to fish in the gorge. On the surface fish with a blue wing olive parachute, Adams parachute, mini Chernobyl ant or stimulator. For the nymphs fish with tiger midges, zebra midges, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears and bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs. I fish my nymph on three feet of 5X fluorocarbon.

Sierra Bright Dot Guide Richard Lancaster getting ready to net Luong Tam’s, from Tekara Tunki , wild brown trout that took a dry fly.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Windy afternoons make mornings the perfect time to be on the creek. The trout are not coming to the surface for the few hatching insects. Nymphing under a dry fly is a successful approach. The dry fly lands on the water softer than an indicator and does not spook trout. For the dry fly use something that floats well like a stimulator, micro Chernobyl ant or Adams parachute and is highly visible. For nymphs use olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Frenchie’s, blue perdigons, tiger midges and zebra midges.  

Earl Slack showing the success of learning how to fish a dry and dropper rig in the canyon section of Hot Creek.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

With a steeper gradient in the canyon than the Interpretive site the trout feed more reactionary than selectively making the fish in the canyon a bit easier to catch. A dry and dropper is the perfect technique to fly fish in the creek. I use three feet of 5X fluorocarbon tied to the bend of the dry fly with a clinch knot. I tie a blue wing olive nymph to the fluorocarbon tippet with a nonslip loop knot. If the fly is not bouncing off the substrate add a split shot. For the dry fly try a stimulator, mini Chernobyl ant, elk hair caddis or Adams Parachute. For the nymphs use olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, Frenchie’s, blue perdigons, tiger midges and zebra midges. The fish have been actively feeding on nymphs mid-day from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.

Earl Slack from Ventura indicator nymphing on the upper Owens River hooked up to a juvenile rainbow trout.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Eight to 12 inch wild brown and rainbow trout are feeding on nymphs and dries. On the surface fish with elk hair caddis, Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes and Griffiths gnats. On the substrate fish with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, tiger midges and zebra midges. The trophy cutthroat trout are just starting to enter the upper Owens River to spawn. For now they are few and far between. This should change in the next five to 10 days. I like to use larger nymphs to fool the trophy trout. Fish with size 12 stoner nymphs, copper Johns, green/gold Prince nymphs and variations of gold ribbed hare’s ears. Starting next week I will start checking for the cutthroats in the Owens River above Crowley Lake.

Bishop Creek Canal produces big brown trout for fly fishers who work nymphs on the substrate.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

The canal has lots of rainbows willing to take nymphs. Opening weekend brought lots of anglers to the river looking to catch trout. Give the canal a few days to recover from all the fishing pressure of opening weekend and week. Indicator nymphing or Euro nymphing is the most successful method of fly fishing in the canal right now. Bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears nymphs, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, Frenchie’s, tiger midges, zebra midges and tan scuds are the fly patterns that are fooling the trout. The canal has been very productive for both stocked rainbows and wild brown trout.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing Report 04-26-2024

Opening weekend use to represent the opportunity to get out and fly fish waters that had been closed since October 31st of the previous year. These days most moving waters and some still waters are open to year round fishing. Where I use to get excited to go fly fish the opening of these waters it no longer holds that special excitement. Spring means snow will start melting in upper elevations allowing fly fishers access to waters that have been buried in snow since the snow started falling in late Fall or early Winter. These waters are now the waters I get excited about fly fishing. My routine for opener has been to attend the Bishop Chamber of Commerce Press Reception Dinner on the Friday night before opener. It’s an opportunity to meet with writers, fishing show promoters, fishing personalities and locals. For the last 13 years I’ve been a part of Fish Camp put on by Bishop Park and Recreation. This is a fly fishing school for six to 12 year old’s to learn to cast a fly rod, tie a fly, fly fishing etiquette and the chance to fly fish Bishop Park Pond. So this opening weekend like the last 18 years I will be at Bishop Park teaching 21 six to 12 year old’s about fly fishing.

Spring in the Sierra is a time of things starting a new like this hen mallard on Bishop Creek Canal with her ducklings.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

The increase in flows on the lower Owens River was put off by three or four weeks while the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP ) finished repair work on Haiwee Dam. Time is up and by Monday April 29th, 2024 flows on the lower Owens River are scheduled to be at 325 CFS. Safe wading is at 300 CFS or less. Flows are expected to increase to 500 to 600 CFS. Now we wait for the flows in the lower Owens River to decrease to under 200 CFS. This normally happens in October when DWP decrees the summer flows. See you on the lower Owens in October.

Rick Delmas working a deep hole on the wild trout section of the lower Owens River in the afternoon before the flows start increasing.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

The trout are looking up and taking dry flies and feeding on nymphs under the surface. Fly fishing with a dry and dropper is a great way to produce trout on Hot Creek. For the dry fly try size 16 Adams parachutes, size 12 mini Chernobyl ants and size 14 stimulators. For nymphs fish with olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges and zebra midges. Best fishing has been from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.

Systematically working the creek from the near bank to the far bank and then move up three steps and repeat is how you successfully fish Hot Creek.

Hot Creek

Canyon Section:

This is a great place to fly fish with a dry and dropper or with a Euro rig. The trout are actively feeding on mayflies and midges. For the dry and dropper use a size 16 Adams parachute, a size 14 elk hair caddis, a size 14 foam caddis and a size 14 stimulator for dry pattern. When nymphing under a dry fly or with a Euro rig fish with olive scuds, olive burlap caddis, tiger midges, zebra midges, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs and olive quilldigons. Cover lots of water being sure to concentrate on the holes and obstructions in the creek.

An olive quill RS2  nose pierced cutthroat trout from the upper Owens River in May when the trophy cutthroat trout migrate into the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

The river is in between the trophy rainbow trout of winter and the spring run of trophy cutthroat trout. While there are a few trophy rainbows and browns being caught most fly fishers are catching juvenile rainbows and browns to 10 inches. For the trophy trout use size 12 stoner nymphs, green/gold wire Prince nymphs, copper Johns and gold ribbed hare’s ears. For the juvenile trout fish with Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes, elk hair caddis and foam caddis in size 16. For nymphing use size 16 gold ribbed hares ears, size 18 tiger or zebra midges, size 18 bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs and size 18 olive quilldigons.

Flows in Bishop Creek Canal are low, but high enough to allow fly fishers to fish the canal without spooking the trout.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

Water levels are low but very fishable for wild brown trout and stocked rainbow trout. Working nymphs on a Euro rod is very productive. Working the deeper holes, runs and fast riffle sections is where the trout are hanging out looking for food. Mayfly nymphs, scuds and midges are the insects the trout are feeding on. Use olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges, zebra midges and tan scuds.

Sierra Bright Dot Fly Fishing

So far we’re having a typical Eastern Sierra Spring. Lots of wind and cold days with some warm days in between. Right now were getting several warm windless or slightly breezy days on the water. With the warm weather the water is warming up and the trout are starting to feed actively on caddis, mayflies and midges. Nymphing continues to be the best producer of trout, but the right water on the right day your will find surface feeding trout.

Wild trout are the quarry fly fishers are chasing in the Eastern Sierra.

Lower Owens River

Wild Trout Section:

Water flows in the lower Owens River are maintaining at 175 CFS. Expect these flows for at least another week, but it is no guarantee so I would be checking the DWP flow rates daily. You can find these on my webpage. Mid-day blue wing olive mayflies are hatching. There is some surface activity, but the bulk of the action is coming on nymphs. Late afternoon there is a caddis hatch on the water that the trout are feeding on. The trout are keying in on the caddis pupae as they swim through the water column heading to the surface to hatch. With the increase in water flows increase the size of beads on your Euro nymphs or increase the split shot size on your indicator rig. For nymphs fish with bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, dark brown La Fontaine’s caddis pupae, dark brown caddis pupae and Duracell nymphs. For dry flies use Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes, olive sparkle duns, dark brown elk hair caddis, dark brown X-caddis and dark brown CDC caddis.

Nymphing under an indicator or with a Euro rig is producing wild brown trout to 16 inches in the wild trout section of the lower Owens River as long as the flows do not increase above 300 CFS.

Hot Creek

Interpretive Site:

Blue wing olive mayflies continue to hatch and the trout are feeding on the hatching adults. For the dry flies use Adams parachutes, blue wing olive parachutes and olive sparkle duns in size 20. For the nymphs use bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons and olive quill RS2 nymphs. Other nymphs that produce on Hot Creek are olive scuds, tiger midges, zebra midges and olive burlap caddis. The most productive time to be on the creek is from 10:00 to 2:00 when the insects are most active.

Once opening weekend happens Hot Creek will become crowded with fly fishers pursuing wild trout .

Canyon Section:

The canyon offers slightly easier to catch wild brown and rainbow trout. The canyon has a stepper gradient which makes the fish more likely to react to your fly pattern then stare at it and refuse it. There are some great dry fly runs in the canyon, but it is a great place to nymph. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, olive quilldigons, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, olive burlap caddis, olive scuds, tiger midges and zebra midges are producing trout for fly fishers fishing with a Euro rig or under an indicator. Key to success is covering all the water with your nymphs as the trout are located all through the creek. If the creek is not crowded I like to slowly cover all the water moving three steps at a time.

The stone fly nymph is a cutthroat trophy trout producing fly pattern in the upper Owens River.

Upper Owens River

Above Benton Crossing Bridge:

Juvenile rainbow trout and brown trout are the fish to catch right now. These fish are taking nymphs and dries. Bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, bead head flash back gold ribbed hare’s ears, olive quilldigons and hot spot pheasant tail nymph are the nymphs that are producing. Adams parachutes, elk hair caddis and blue wing olive parachutes are fooling the juvenile trout on the surface. There are a few trophy trout in the river that are taking large nymphs like the stoner nymph and the green/gold Prince nymph.

 Mallards did not mine that Bishop Creek Canal was flowing off color and the trout were not feeding.

Bishop Creek Canal

Behind Bishop Veterinary Hospital:

There was a day last week when the canal blew out with dirty water coming from both forks of Bishop Creek. The flows are up and clearing allowing fly fishers to nymph with indicators or Euro nymph rigs. The trout are feeding on mayfly nymphs, tan scuds and midges. There has been few to no surface feeding trout. Fish with tan scuds, olive quilldigons, bead head flash back pheasant tail nymphs, hot spot pheasant tail nymphs, tiger midges and zebra midges. Be sure you use a split shot heavy enough to keep your nymphs bouncing along the substrate where the trout are looking for nymphs.